Dear Rose
by Xcite
Summary: "She loved Steven to no end. But this was too much to ask for." A stormy argument breaks out between Pearl and Greg, ruining their relationship. Now it's up to Steven to mend what's broken. Will he succeed or will Pearl stay bitter towards Greg forever? [Contains PearlxRose. Ficlet.]
1. The Fight

"It's done." Pearl bellowed from under the RV, rolling out on a skateboard. Earlier, Greg had asked her to fix a leak in the gas tank, and so the tall pale Gem warrior delivered his request. The primitive tool man knew as the wrench swung from side to side in her oil-stained hand as she walked elegantly to the back of the van. The sun shone brightly on the nape of her neck, burning the naked skin exposed to sunlight. Pearl wiped the beads of sweat off her face with a clean towel.

"Greg?" She called out, not receiving a response from the human. She shook her head in disapproval at the lack of his presence. Moments later, Greg showed up, with a paper bag in his hand and a box in another. On his face was his happy-go-lucky smile.

"I got you something to eat since you've been working for hours!" He skidded to a halt in front of her and offered her the paper bag. On the brown packing a french-fry mascot was printed. "It's fries!"

Pearl curled her nose at the mention of food. "I don't eat." She looked away with arms crossed. Greg lowered his hand at the comment, with an embarrassed blush imprinted on his bearded face. "The RV is ready." Pearl pointed at the repaired car and proceeded to clean off oil splotches from her face.

"Gee, thanks a bunch, P!" Greg exclaimed with a heartwarming smile once again on his face. He placed the box in the messy trunk and went to check out the improvements. Pearl sat down beside the box. Its contents caught her attention; inside were books, CDs and other things Greg valued. A photograph rested inside.

"Hey Pearl, what did-" Greg stumbled back to their resting place but cut off his speech. Pearl gazed silently at the picture that lay in her hands. Her fingers bore into it, threatening to tear the soft paper apart. Her hands shook slightly.

It was a picture of Rose.

Greg sat down silently next to her. There was an annoying silence between them.

"I miss her more every day." Greg exhaled.

"Miss...her?" There was great doubt in Pearl's voice. "You have no idea..." Pearl chuckled with a small hint of ridicule.

"What do you mean?"

Pearl stood up. Oh, he truly had no idea, did he? _She_ was the one who had followed Rose to every corner of the universe. _She_ was the one constantly fighting for Rose even if it meant risking her own life. _She_ was the one willing to give everything she had to Rose. If anyone was rightful of missing her, it would be Pearl.

And now she was gone, and Pearl was left alone.

"All because of you." She huffed under her breath."You...You ruined everything!" Pearl screamed as she lost her composure.

Greg was shocked, surprised by the sudden mood change. "I know it must be hard on you Gems to not have her around-"

"But do you though? Do you really?" Pearl scoffed, spewing venom with each word. Tears formed in her eyes. She hated it. "I spent thousands of years with her. We were happy. _I_ was happy," She inched forward and poked Greg on the chest with each word, her voice turning into a desperate yell, "UNTIL. YOU. SHOWED. UP!"

Greg gritted his teeth and pointed at the Gem warrior accusingly. "Well unlike you she was always ready open up to everyone and give everyone a chance at proving themselves! This was her choice to give up her form for Steven!"

Pearl turned a shade of deep blue. "Well, well-" Words were failing her. " _I'd choose her over Steven any time!"_ Words left her mouth, bringing sudden silence between them. She realized what she had said, but it was too late.

Tears streamed down both her cheeks.

"You didn't mean that." Greg's voice trembled.

Pearl didn't respond. "I...I..." Nothing proper came to her mind in defense. She felt her guts churn at what she had yelled. Did she mean it?

She loved Steven to no end.

But this was too much to ask for.

Pearl stumbled backwards mumbling inaudible words. Hot tears stained her face. Oh she hated it so much. Pearl tripped over the tool box, falling to the hard pavement with a thud. Pearl huffed, opening her eyes to see herself scrambled all over the place. Greg's hand was extended towards her to help her up.

But she pushed it away.

Pearl jolted up. She had had enough of this. Without looking back, she walked a step away and made a break for the Temple. The wind stung her eyes, drying the dampness of her face.

Nothing could describe how bitter she felt inside.


	2. The Witness

**A/N: Hey guys! Unfortunately I might write shorter chapters but on the bright side I will update more frequently (every week in the least). Enjoy.**

* * *

Water flowed underneath Pearl's strong legs, the shiny surface reflecting her tired face. She stood motionless in her room. Beads of tears trickled down her cheeks and fell to the floor, instantly vanishing in the water. Pearl took deep breaths to calm herself down. She had to do _something._  
Her gemstone sparked a bright blue and emitted the hologram of her beloved: In front of her stood Rose Quartz.

Pearl gave out a faint smile. Her hand reached out towards the hologram to hold hers. Her touch felt almost real, as if Rose Quartz herself was right there, beaming at her confidently. Pearl's eyes scanned the hologram, taking in every crease of Rose's dress, every curl of her beautiful hair, each ridge of her face…  
A sigh escaped her lips.

 _One, two, one, two..._ Pearl counted silently as she commenced her synchronized dance with the hologram. _Part, hold hands, bend, twirl…_  
She wanted it to last forever; it was a reminder of their precious bond, forming the fusion of Rainbow Quartz.

But this didn't soothe her pain, it only made it worse.  
Pearl took the final step to their fusion dance. She leaned forward and kissed Rose gently on the lips.  
Oh how she wanted to repeat it again and again.

The room's door opened with a low rumble, but Pearl was too lost in her thoughts to take notice. Just as Rose held her, Pearl threw her head back and opened her eyes.

Steven was standing by the door, watching her.  
The hologram fizzed and faded as Pearl lost concentration. It poofed into dust, and Pearl fell to the water floor.  
"Steven, wha- what are you doing here!?" Panic was evident in her voice, growing stronger by the second. She got up with her dress all soaked wet. "G-get out!"  
This was definitely not what she needed.

But Steven stood by the door, refusing to say a word. Pearl felt her insides flip.  
"G-get out!" She repeated. Her yells turned into desperate sobs. "I said-" But her voice didn't accompany her. She stood there fighting back her tears.  
And there, she fell to her knees, her sobs the only noise breaking the silence between them. Pearl covered her face, as if it would hide her from others.

She stayed there for what seemed like ages, until she felt a tug on her dress.  
It was Steven, of course.  
He sat down beside her. Pearl refused to talk, bringing her knees to her chin. She rested her head on them. Pearl feared what would happen afterwards.  
"I uh… I just wanted to ask where you put the can of whipped cream." Steven said softly. "Guess I should have knocked, haha…"  
Pearl stood silent.  
Steven looked down, watching his reflection on the shiny surface of water. Suddenly, he pulled Pearl into a hug. "I never realized you loved her this much."

Pearl's eyes stung. She could feel the tears form again, but she didn't stop them this time. She pulled Steven into her embrace and rested her head on his.

They had so much to talk about.

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 **Review if you may. Thanks for reading.**


	3. The Surprise

Pearl lied motionless on the soft mattress by Steven's bed. With her hands wrapped softly around Steven, she had drifted off to slumber. The sleep mask she had used to cover her gemstone had fallen off, exposing her dreams to the world outside her mind.  
 _War._ Pearl fidgeted in her place a bit.  
 _Death._ Even after five thousand years, the horrors of the battlefield wouldn't leave her.  
 _Tens and hundreds of their rebels executed, gemstones shattered, sentient beings broken by the hands of the Diamonds, because they believed in Rose Quartz and that the Earth should live-_

Rose.

Pearl's eyes started darting around in her sleep.  
 _Swords clash, threatening to kill. And Rose stands in the way, too busy defending her troops to protect her ground. A torrent of strikes come raining down on her, but Pearl can't let it happen, no. She plunges forward, throwing herself between the sword of the opposing soldier and her beloved leader. Her counterattack misses and the cold blade pierces her body, making pain scatter through every molecule of her being-_

Pearl's eyes struck wide open.  
Steven was watching her.

She brought a hand up and rubbed her gemstone. She realized the absence of the mask. Pearl sighed, letting go of the dream. No, that would be a 'nightmare' as Steven had described before. Her jaw clenched at the fact that she just can't keep her emotions sealed deep down.  
"Hey." Steven said softly. He pushed himself in the caring embrace off Pearl, gaining a smile from his guardian.  
"I'm sorry you had to see that, Steven. The battlefield is a harsh place, either for a Gem or a human." Pearl ruffled Steven's hair affectionately.  
"That really happened?"  
"Yes."

Steven seemed to hesitate, but went on. "Were you...scared?"  
She felt a bump in her throat. "I had never been so scared in my life ." Pearl admitted. "But I stood and fought, all because of Rose." They stood silent, each enjoying the other's company.

Until Steven jumped up and slapped his forehead. "Why hadn't I thought of this before?!" Excitement was evident in his voice so much that it started trembling. The biggest, happiest smile Pearl had seen rested on his lips. Pearl sat up, curious to see what he had in mind.  
"Wait here okay!?" He exclaimed,"Just promise you won't move, I'll be back suuuper quick!" The young Gem ran downstairs and headed straight to the Temple entrance and rushed to his -Rose's- room.

Minutes passed, and finally Steven returned. He could barely contain his excitement.  
He handed Pearl the sleep mask. "Put this on!"  
Pearl looked at him, raising an eyebrow at his actions. "Is this necessary?"  
"Come onnnn, it just won't be as surprising as it should if you don't!"

 _Surprising?_ What was he up to?

But Steven pulled her hand and forced her to the Temple. The sleep mask covered her eyes, letting nothing into her sight. Steven directed her to his room.

"Okay, you can take the mask off!"  
"Not like that!" Steven yelped, "Do it _slowly._ "

And she did.

She couldn't believe her eyes.  
In the pink canvas of the room a figure -composed of cloud- stood. Those creases, ridges, wrinkles... they were far too familiar to her.  
"Hello, my Pearl."  
Pearl gasped hard. In front of her stood no one but...

 _Rose Quartz._

"It's been a long time, hasn't it?" She smiled warmly.  
Pearl threw herself in Rose's embrace.

...She hadn't felt so _alive_ in a long time.


	4. The Talk

**A/N: I am super sorry for updating late! I have never been so busy in my life ;_; I kept staying up late all week for school studies, but I skipped tonight to write.**

 **Anyhoo, I also have a one shot called Midnight on Pearl and Steven's relationship (I love these two so much!). Check it out if you want moar. I also might turn this story into a lengthy fic during the summer venturing more into the plot, so stay tuned.**

 **Enjoy and thank you for your support!**

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 _What is she doing in there?  
_ Steven sat on the edge of his bed, tapping his feet impatiently on the wooden floor. He didn't know how to exactly feel. Part of him was happy for Pearl, part of him felt guilty. The bed sheets curled under his grips.  
Another part of him wanted to talk to Rose.  
And another wished he hadn't thought of asking the room to make a fully functioning Rose Quartz.

Steven sighed, falling on his back. Why did this have to be so complicated?  
He needed to talk to someone. He jumped to his feet and exited the beach house, running to the person he could find confidence in:

 _Greg_.

* * *

Her grip was tight around Rose's neck, refusing to let go. Pearl breathed in the beautiful scent of the pink locks, but let out a sigh of despair.  
Rose pulled Pearl's face to her forehead.  
Pearl gathered whatever strength she had in herself. "But," She stuttered, "you're not the real Rose..."Pearl whispered. "Rose is gone."  
The cloud Gem stroked Pearl's soft hair. "Listen, Pearl." She stepped away and looked confidently at her loyal companion. "I'm what Steven asks the room to be. But you need to know, you need to _learn_. Learn that nothing is consistent in this world."  
Rose calmly continued, "One minute I'm here," the figure poofed into cloud and reappeared behind Pearl, "one minute I'm not."  
"Learn to let go. That's when you can move on and make life easier for yourself and everyone around you." Rose reappeared in front of Pearl and put a hand on her cheek.

Tears welled up in Pearl's eyes. "One day, when the time is right, I'll meet you again."

Pearl's eyes widened. "You mean-"  
"Yes. Steven ages, you know it well. One day, I will return to you."  
Pearl hugged Rose.  
"Promise me you will learn to accept my absence from your life. Come back to this room once you figure it out."

Could she? None of this were to happen if it weren't for Greg.

"But-" Pearl protested.  
"Promise me." Rose repeated sternly.  
The cloud Gem disappeared into dust. Pearl covered her face.

"Promise."


	5. The Choice

**A/N: My schedule has been very hectic recently. I apologize for not updating sooner , I will try to get back on more frequent updates. Since I'll be graduating high school in a few weeks, I've got a lot to handle right now and that minimizes my time to write.  
** **Thank you for your support! Enjoy.**

* * *

The sound of small, careful footsteps startled Pearl. Someone was at the door.  
How long had she been sitting inside Rose's room? She didn't know. She didn't care.  
She sat up, getting a hold of herself. Pearl brought her knees to her chin and held them in her arms, trying to pull her thoughts together.

Rose's request was simple, yet she couldn't do it.  
She didn't know _how_.

The door reopened. It was no one other than Steven who entered. Pearl felt his grasp on her back. He sat beside her and sank his head onto her shoulder. She leaned her head on Steven's.  
Time passed. They were both silent.

Until Steven spoke. "Are you okay?" He sounded calm and somewhat shy.  
Pearl brought her head up to look directly at him. "I…" She stuttered. "I… I don't know."  
"Me neither," Steven confessed.  
"I'm sorry, Steven." Pearl grimaced and pulled him into a hug. "I just-" Just what? _Can't get over Rose? That she is gone? That I can't see her anymore because of Gre-_

No, she had to stop. Pearl had promised Rose.  
"Just what? Why are you apologizing? You didn't do anything wrong." Steven trailed off, a slight blush appearing on his face.

Pearl huffed. "Yes, I have. I- I made a promise and now I have to make up for it." It sounded simple, but was it?  
Steven beamed gleefully, showcasing a toothy grin. "I can help you!"  
"Steven, I haven't been quite honest with you." If Pearl had to do what Rose requested, she had to start _now._  
Steven's smile faltered.

"I-Remember when I danced with the hologram in my room?" Pearl bit her lips bitterly, hoping the best would come out of this. Steven nodded. "I- Well, when I met your mother-" Pearl sighed. This was proving to be harder than she had expected.

She huffed, gathering whatever courage she had inside. "I fell in love with Rose."  
"I had figured it out already!"  
Pearl jerked at the response. "What?!"  
"Pearl, you make it so easy to see every day! You never miss a chance to say how great she was, or how much she helped everyone!"  
"I guess so…" Steven was right. Pearl blushed.

"But there's also something else I have to tell you."  
"Yes?"  
"I've been…disgustingly mean to Greg all these years." She lowered her head, afraid of how Steven would take that. Would he be upset at her, disappointed, or mad?  
She didn't wait. Pearl feared hearing anything from him would betray her will to continue, so she went on.  
"It's just that- He managed to make Rose outgoing and so involved in the world around her, something none of us could do. And I let that bitter feeling turn into jealousy. I felt like she was being taken from me. Like I was l-losing her." Pearl felt a bump in her throat, threatening to make her cry any moment.

"And after all this time, I still feel like-"  
She paused.  
It was enough.

Pearl held her composure. "Well, at least you know everything now. I don't know how much of a disgusting, unbearable Gem that would make me." Harsh words left her mouth. "I wouldn't blame you if you hate me for my actions."

Pearl got up to walk to the exit.

"Wait!"  
What was it?  
"I want to help you, Pearl. I understand."  
He did? A vague joy washed over her.  
"I want to help. I know sometimes things get out of hand, and we might get mad at others for the things they do and be mean to them. But it's important to try to make up and make yourself a better person, and find a solution to the problem. That's what we're going to do!"

Pearl beamed. She felt calm inside. "When did you get so wise?" She ruffled Steven's hair.  
They exited the room hand in hand, ready to face whatever challenge they had.


End file.
